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Tack Sale Helper Fees...Your Opinions, Please!

There is an annual tack sale in my area, my friend and I have not had "tables" there in 6 years...Well, this year we have both prepaid our tables, at $20.00 each.

Friend says she really only has a "1/2 table" of items, so I will use her extra space, obviously giving her $10.00 there. I have so much stuff that I'm sure I will need her help for the day selling (sale is 9-2, you have to stay the entire time). I will haul in the totes, and set up my sale items myself, provide the bags, etc. Items are priced, and have all info clearly tagged-saddle/bit/blanket sizes, etc.

Any suggestions for a helper's fee? Hourly?...Percentage of sales? We will cover each other while we shop and socialize, too. This is a well attended sale, and I expect to clear some decent cash!

This friend is a fellow rider and personal friend I've had for 20+ years, and we are in our () late 40's, so money made is not really the issue. I want to give her something for her help, just trying to figure out an amount that is fair, and not cheap-o.

I'm also raising the money for "fun money" during an AZ trip in April, so I'm hoping to make a fair amount for hubby and I!

I will be sure to provide lunch and drinks. I have let this friend board for free during bad storms (several days at a time), as her very small barn (shed), has a very large old oak tree right next to it. I also let her keep her horse here overnight when we trail ride on my property on weekends-she has no room to ride at her place, except her turnout area.

I will send some cash her way, as well as lunch. I'll see what I clear after expenses, and take it from there, but I was thinking around $40.00 to $50.00 was fair.

Color me a scrooge, but unless you have a TON of stuff and need lots of help, I would say pay nothing. She has half a table of stuff that she can sell or not. She also can leave early because you'll be there covering the tables. (And I have never been to a tack swap where vendors couldn't come and go as they want. Seriously is there someone barring the exit so you can't leave if you want?)

She wants to sell her stuff and you'll help if she needs it. You'll cover her if she shops or goes off for a gossip. So pay her the $10 and bring some extra drinks to share in the cooler. Otherwise, that's it.

I've shared plenty of space with girlfriends and nobody gets paid in the deal.

Last edited by IronwoodFarm; Mar. 4, 2013 at 10:25 AM.
Reason: added a few missing words!

Ironwood, the club running the sale asks that everyone stay until 2:00, because during the first few years so many tables cleared out early that shoppers coming in the later hours were not happy they had driven some distance, only to find a half to three quarters of the 20 or so tables empty...

The last time I did the sale, I did start packing up about 1:00. This sale draws a lot of people, it's been going on for about 20 years, so it is really worth the staying anyway. I just plan on making a day of it.

If you were my friend I would be more than willing to help you with your stuff when I was not busy selling my own stuff. That is what being a friend is. I am not sure why you need to pay her for her time.
If you are really worried offer to pay for her whole table and you bring the snacks (like has been mentioned). She is a friend who has to be there all day anyway, not some kid you hired to help.

Yeah, I would say this isn't really a situation where you need to be paying her for her time--it sounds like you're both going to be sitting there and if one person is busy helping someone, the other is there to cover for her. I would say just offer to bring drinks/snacks, make sure she has plenty of opportunities to get up and shop/socialize, and that's perfectly reasonable. Adding money into the mix makes her your employee, not just a friend you're sharing space with, which is really all it is. Try not to involve money in friendship!